KUALA TERENGGANU – The government, through collaboration with various ministries and agencies, will tackle the issue of depression that has led to suicidal behaviour among some individuals.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said the issue of depression leading to suicides has been discussed in the past few months by various parties, including his ministry, the Health Ministry and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
“We will also collaborate and do our very best. Because, out there, there are many religious people who say their method is the best while counsellors say theirs is the best. So, to me, it’s better we all pool our efforts together,” he said at the Tepoh constituency service centre here today.
Zulkifli said he also plans to meet individuals suffering from overwhelming depression or stress to better understand them and try to solve their problems.
Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had, in a statement yesterday, urged Malaysians to be more aware and conscious of their family members and people around them to identify early signs of depression that could trigger suicidal behaviour.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic has deeply impacted the mental health of every individual worldwide, including in Malaysia.
Dr Noor Hisham said the police had found that there has been an increase in suicide cases reported last year, with 631 compared to 609 cases in 2019. As of March this year, police have received a total of 336 reports of suicide.
Zulkifli also said various methods can be used to ensure targeted groups receive immediate help, including by raising a white flag in the front of their house.
“We will do everything. We will pray, we will carry out initiatives, we will go to the ground and, most importantly, we need to save as many as we can from being mired in issues like overwhelming stress.
“For now, I won’t say whether it’s right or wrong (to raise a white flag). What is better is how our assistance can reach the targeted people,” he said when asked to comment on the campaign to raise a white flag in front of houses in need of food or assistance, which has gone viral on social media.
Zulkifli had earlier presented 200 packs of food and basic necessities from Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) to Tepoh assemblyman Hishamuddin Abdul Karim to be distributed to the needy. – Bernama, June 30, 2021
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